Certain breeds of dogs and cats have the tendency of shedding their undercoat or coat, especially during the spring and summer months. Dogs and cats, whether kept indoors or outdoors, will go thru this natural process of hair regeneration, and will drop a great deal of loose hair within the house of the pet owner. This not only causes a mess, but can contribute to the pet becoming overheated due to the accumulation of expelled hair trapped within their coat. This is why coat maintenance and grooming is essential to keep a pet happy and healthy.
It is known that hair growth begins inside the hair follicle. The hair that is visible is the hair shaft. The base of the root is called the bulb, which contains the cells that produce the hair shaft. Other structures of the hair follicle include the oil producing sebaceous gland which lubricates the hair and the erector pili muscles. The hair growth cycle is divided into three phases: an anagen phase, in which the hair is growing actively with a very substantial level of cell proliferation occurring in the hair follicle; a catagen phase, when the follicle slows down its proliferative activity temporarily, detached from the bulb to permit hair development; and a telogen phase, in which the follicle simply stops growing, regresses and sheds out of the follicle, and a new anagen phase begins.
Domestic animals such as dogs, have primary hair and secondary hair. The secondary hair is the undercoat that sheds. The undercoat or loose hair is hair that has already been released from the follicles and accumulated within the coat. In actuality the undercoat is loose hair which already came out of follicle or will be released, but is sitting in the coat. According to the prior art, shed/loose hair can be brushed out relatively easily by utilizing conventional tools adapted to pull the loose coat which has already been out of the follicle and accumulated within the coat. Due to its association with the follicle, the primary hair can be pulled out of the follicle when it is ready to be released.
There are known in the prior art grooming tools having a blade positioned at 90° angle to handle and to the outer surface of the coat. For proper operation of such devices a pressure has to be exerted on the blade to reach the undercoat hair. Many users, especially those with the limited grooming training, can be aggressive by applying a substantial pressure on the tool. In the prior art devices, not only the hair is being removed, but the skin of a pet is being scraped, damaged and irritated. The hair that remains on the pet is being scraped and damaged, when using a 90 degree angle oriented blade.
A carding technique is well known in the pet grooming field and is based on use of a carding/stripping knife. This technique requires knowledge and a degree of skill in order to use the knife properly. This prior art tool, if used incorrectly, is uncomfortable for a pet. Further more, it is known that this tool often causes stress and fatigue on the joints and tendons of a user, whereas repetitive wrist motions might be resulted in carpel tunnel syndrome. The tool and method of the invention represent substantial improvement over the carding technique. The design of the tool of the invention is ergonomically correct, therefore, it is quite comfortable for the user. The design of the inline handle make the tool ambidextrous.